Dr. Yasmine Kandil’s research investigates the effective methods of TfD practice by understanding the conditions that provide autonomy and empowerment for marginalized communities. Her dissertation showcases two long-term projects: one carried out with a community of garbage pickers living in the slums of Cairo, and the other with immigrant and refugee youth in Victoria, B.C.

Originally from Egypt, Yasmine began her journey in Applied Theatre working with young garbage pickers in the slums of Cairo. Her 2-year collaboration with Community Institutional Development (CID) resulted in the creation of a theatre program run by the children and youth, and whose mandate is to combat the invisibility and marginalization of the community of garbage pickers. Now, more than ten years later, the theatre program continues to thrive where the group tours parts of Egypt with their performances that showcase the community’s cultural songs and traditions.

In Victoria Yasmine worked with different organizations (Service Canada, Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria, and the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society) using theatre as a means of raising awareness on issues of isolation and marginalization, providing a platform for discussion on inclusivity and creating arts programs to empower youth, and for developing a safe space for young people to voice their concerns and reclaim their space in their society.

Yasmine also worked with various Egyptian organizations that create arts-based programs for orphans (El-Amal Village), children in remote communities in the south of Egypt (El-Menya), and school teachers learning to use drama in their classrooms (El-Jesuit School in Alexandria).As a lighting designer she traveled with her performances to various theatre festivals for emerging artists in the Middle East and Europe.

Yasmine’s current research investigates the relationship between not-for-profit organizations’ arts-based projects and participant autonomy and privacy in projects that depict participants’ real-life experiences. The outcome will be to produce a guidebook, for use of organizations and artists, which would outline the parameters and ethical considerations when working with people’s real-life stories in community-based theatre projects.

Yasmine is looking forward to engaging with the community of St. Catharines through theatre; and in particular she hopes to work with women recovering from domestic abuse, migrant workers, and at-risk youth.

For a full list of scholarships, awards, publications, and conference presentations see C.V.